1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an communications transmitter and receiver or transceiver apparatus and particularly to an antenna mast-top mountable thermo-electrically cooled amplifier enclosure system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In communications systems in general and in cellular communications systems in particular, transceivers are crucial sub-systems and power amplifiers such as LNA, LPA, HPA, SSPA and TWTA are one of its crucial components. Power amplifiers, being integral components of transceivers, need to be kept cooled at operating temperature. Traditionally, cooling of electronic systems in enclosures was achieved by natural convection using heat sinks having fins. In many cases, systems relying on natural convection resulted in failure due to inadequate cooling. Another traditional method of cooling electronic systems in enclosures is using fans to cool the internal air and pulling it outside of the enclosure. This method also tend to be inadequate or fail prematurely due to moving parts inherently involved. Yet another traditional method of cooling electronic systems in enclosures is to use refrigerants in heat exchangers. Such method relied on pumping refrigerants through the system and quite often result in environmentally unsafe conditions.
The amplifier can be separated from the transceiver and cooled separately using thermo-electric cooler or TEC. TEC is a well-known solid-state device utilizing Peltier effect and semi-conductor and is primarily used to cool computer CPU's and coinoperated vending machines. However, by cascading TEC's , amplifiers in the communications field can be adequately cooled. Furthermore, TEC's offer the advantages of having no moving parts or being solid-state, thereby minimizing failure rate. Optionally, the TEC can be used in conjunction with fans whereby TEC can alleviate substantial cooling load from the fan so that the fan can be used to simply move the air inside the enclosure.
By separating the amplifier from the transceiver and cooling the amplifier with TEC's , the amplifiers such as LNA, LPA, HPA, SSPA and TWTA can be placed at top of antenna mast and therefore near the antenna dish. This offers a significant advantage in that such configuration drastically reduces cable losses due to its minimal cable length.
Furthermore, by switching the electrical polarity of the current inputs on the TEC, the TEC can be used to heat the same system or component.
It is thus a primary objective of the present invention to provide an antenna mast-top mountable thermo-electrically cooled amplifier enclosure system which utilizes thermo-electric coolers to provide cooling or heating to amplifiers.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an antenna mast-top mountable thermo-electrically cooled amplifier enclosure system which by using thermo-electric coolers provides solid-state cooling or heating.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an antenna mast-top mountable thermo-electrically cooled amplifier enclosure system which by using thermo-electric coolers eliminate uses of refrigerants.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide an antenna mast-top mountable thermo-electrically cooled amplifier enclosure system which by cooling or heating the amplifier separately allows the amplifier to be mounted close to the antenna dish.